Lost Art Press

Author: Lost Art Press

Publisher of woodworking books and videos specializing in hand tool techniques.

Coming to See Us at Handworks? Read This….

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We have been packing up materials for our trip to Iowa this week for Handworks, our favorite woodworking/sausage show in the world.

Our booth will be in the same place as it has been during every Handworks. We plan to have almost all of our titles with us, all of our tools and some of our apparel. (Basically, we won’t be bringing the T-shirts, chore coats and vests – we don’t have the room to travel with all the sizes.)

To make your experience better, we will have two different ways for you to check out when you buy something from us. If you just want to pay for something and head to the next booth, we are going to have an “Express Checkout” person on the right side of our booth. They will get you on your way as fast as possible.

If you want to chat (also great) we will have the “Chatty Checkout” people – basically me and Megan. We can sign books, answer questions and the like – and process your order. Our line will move slower than the Express Checkout line.

We’re trying this to attempt to reduce customer frustrations during the last three Handworks. I can remember one customer bending my ear for a good 15 minutes while the people behind him simply wanted to pay for a book and bolt. 

We want to make everyone happy. So use the Express Checkout (there will be a sign) if you are in a rush. 

We’ll be accepting cash, checks and most major credit cards. The first 300 or so customers will also get a free embroidered Woobie with their purchase.

Hope to see y’all there!

— Christopher Schwarz

LAP Open Wire, Aug. 26, 2023, With Megan and Chris

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Scraping the backrest of an Irish armchair in bog oak.

This has been a wild week, and we should be sitting by the pool with some margaritas. But instead, we are here for the Lost Art Press Open Wire.

If you’ve got questions about woodworking, our books, tools or grub ephemera, we are your answer team.

This week’s open wire is hosted by me and Megan. Here’s how it works: Type your question in the comment field. Brevity is appreciated. We will do our best to answer it. It is that simple.

Two notes: 1) Comments for this entry will close about 5 p.m. Eastern. And 2) Next week’s Open Wire will be held in In Person at Handworks in Iowa. So come to the Amana Colonies and meet some of your 5,000 closest friends.

NOTE: Posts are closed for this week’s session. Next week we will be LIVE at Handworks in Iowa answering questions.

— Christopher Schwarz

Drilling Centered Tenons

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Centering the tenon on a stick can be a challenge.

One of the biggest hurdles chairmaking students face when making their stretchers and sticks is drilling the tenon on the end of the stick. I use the Veritas Power Tenon cutters for this. And we do it freehand with the cutter in a drill.

So some skill and practice is required.

(Yes, I know I can mount the tenon cutters in a lathe and build a platform for the stick so the tenon is perfect every time. A lot of students don’t have or want a lathe. And my goal is to teach this craft with as few tools and jigs as possible. Why? It’s just how the Grasshopper God made me.)

Some students get the feel for it after a few sticks. One student burned through – no lie – more than 30 sticks, and he still didn’t get it right.

I’m always asking other chairmakers for tips on how to teach people to use this tool. From my own experience, here are the important steps:

  1. Level the stick in the vise.
  2. Level the tenon cutter using its bubble level.
  3. Press firmly forward.
  4. Advance steadily, and check to ensure you are still level and the cutter is perpendicular to the stick.

Chairmaker Travis Curtis offered this helpful suggestion: Try to observe the whole operation – don’t narrow your focus to one small area in front of the cutter. This will help you steer straighter.

It’s like driving a car (or cutting with a band saw). If you look right at the pavement in front of the hood, your steering will be erratic and you might squish the Grasshopper God inadvertently, bringing shame and a 20-year curse on your house.

But if you look a mile ahead of your car, your steering will be steady and smooth. 

This is a helpful tip. But it didn’t fix everyone’s problems.

Then Derek Jones taught his Cricket Table class here a couple weeks ago and he modified all my drills by gluing a bubble level on top of each one. (We have an entire drawer of individual bubble levels; you cannot buy just one.)

These bubble levels make the tenon-drilling process even more predictable. You can’t see the bubble level on the tenon cutter when it is spinning. But you can see the one on the drill. So you can make fine adjustments as you drill and observe the entire process in your field of vision.

Like this:

I love solving a problem using the brains of a bunch of people. Give this a try if you haven’t already.

— Christopher Schwarz

A Big Undo: Barr Cabinetmaker’s Chisels

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The set of Barr Cabinet Maker’s Chisels I purchased.

When I bought a set of Lie-Nielsen chisels in the early 2000s, I had to sell my set of Barr Cabinet Maker’s Chisels. Our kids were young (Katherine was just 3), and Lucy and I struggled to pay the $1,200 monthly daycare bill for two kids. 

I couldn’t justify owning two nice sets of chisels when I needed only one.

I rationalized selling the Barrs by saying the Lie-Nielsens were more suited for the work I was doing at the time – lots of dovetails. And I stand by that statement. The Lie-Nielsens are lightweight and have outstanding balance. And they won’t wear you out if you have to chop out 100 pin sockets.

But I regretted selling the Barrs. They were simply outstanding, and they held an edge better than any other tool steel I’ve worked with (including Japanese chisels). I wrote about my long experience with Barr tools here on my substack, “The American Peasant.”

The Cabinet Maker’s chisels are fantastic for heavy work and have a handmade feel, like my blacksmith-made scorp, adze and 2” Barr chisel.

This week I turned the clock back, and I now own a set of four Barr Cabinet Maker’s Chisels. After chatting with Ginger Quarton at the company, I learned that the company still makes batches of the chisels two or three times a year. I asked if I could get on a waiting list.

As luck would have it, they had a set of the tools on hand – a customer had changed his mind. So I purchased his error.

The four chisels – 1/4”, 1/2”, 3/4” and 1” – come in a heavy leather tool roll. They are exactly like my old Barrs. Beefy and easy to sharpen.

They are a good deal heavier than my Lie-Nielsens. The Barr 1/4” chisel weighs 145 grams; the Lie-Nielsen 1/4” weighs 65 g. The Barr 1/2”: 192 g. The same-size Lie-Nielsen: 95 g.

With no more daycare (or college tuition) bills left to pay, I am happy that I can keep both sets. Yes, I feel a little Anarchist’s Tool Chest Guilt. But I have room for both chisel sets in my tool chest. Hell, I still have quite a bit of space in my tool chest for other stuff if I wanted more planes or scorps or an extra brace or two (which I really don’t). 

I spent an hour at the bench tonight tuning up the Barr chisels. (They didn’t need much – just a little polishing on the back because I’m a fussy guy.) I’m now in the middle of building several chairs, and I have some large through-tenons to chop. So these tools are going straight to work in the morning.

— Christopher Schwarz

More Soft Wax 2.0 is Now in Stock

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I promise you than Bean is *not* spinning on one paw in a fog.

Katherine just posted a big load of Soft Wax 2.0 today in her etsy store. And Bean is clearly happy about it?

It’s hot, but Katherine knows how to ship the wax in the summer. The lids have an internal seal, and she cinches them down extra tight during the warm months. Then she wraps them in bubble wrap and plastic tape. Then in a folding box.

Instructions for the wax are below. You can watch a video of how to use the wax here.

Instructions for Soft Wax 2.0
Soft Wax 2.0 is a safe finish for bare wood that is incredibly easy to apply and imparts a beautiful low luster to the wood.The finish is made by cooking raw linseed oil (from the flax plant) and combining it with cosmetics-grade beeswax and a small amount of a citrus-based solvent. The result is that this finish can be applied without special safety equipment, such as a respirator. The only safety caution is to dry the rags out flat you used to apply before throwing them away. (All linseed oil generates heat as it cures, and there is a small but real chance of the rags catching fire if they are bunched up while wet.)

Soft Wax 2.0 is an ideal finish for pieces that will be touched a lot, such as chairs, turned objects and spoons. The finish does not build a film, so the wood feels like wood – not plastic. Because of this, the wax does not provide a strong barrier against water or alcohol. If you use it on countertops or a kitchen table, you will need to touch it up every once in a while. (I have it on our kitchen countertops and love it.) Simply add a little more Soft Wax to a deteriorated finish and the repair is done – no stripping or additional chemicals needed.Soft Wax 2.0 is not intended to be used over a film finish (such as lacquer, shellac or varnish). It is best used on bare wood. However, you can apply it over a porous finish, such as milk paint.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS (VERY IMPORTANT): Applying Soft Wax 2.0 is easy if you follow the simple instructions. On bare wood, apply a thin coat of soft wax using a rag, applicator pad, 3M gray pad or steel wool. Allow the finish to soak in about 10-15 minutes. Then, with a clean rag or towel, wipe the entire surface until it feels dry. Do not leave any excess finish on the surface. If you do leave some behind, the wood will get gummy and sticky.

The finish will be dry enough to use in a couple hours. After a couple weeks, the oil will be fully cured. After that, you can add a second coat (or not). A second coat will add more sheen and a little more protection to the wood.

Soft Wax 2.0 is made in small batches in Covington, Kentucky. Each glass jar contains 8 oz. of soft wax, enough for about five chairs.